The Classics

[T-Bob]

I am officially in mourning now until Sunday. Due to family issues, my entry into the Ronde Sportive on Saturday will not be happening... All kit packed, training done, winter outfit bought, hotels booked and paid for, bus back from finish booked, mates from UK & Aus in Flanders already checking the course. Flight was supposed to be tomorrow and back after Roubaix.

 

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrgggghhhhhhhhhhhh! Tough decision to make. Thank god for good travel insurance. It's back on the bucket list then.

['Dale]

 

 

You can say the same about Kelly... but it happened.

 

Edit: Had to remove the pigs flying from this image so you could see it properly.

 

http://cdn.media.cyclingnews.com/photos/2006/news/nov06/koppenberg/jpKellyFlanders84_600.jpg

 

Yeah, good memory there

['Dale]

I am officially in mourning now until Sunday. Due to family issues, my entry into the Ronde Sportive on Saturday will not be happening... All kit packed, training done, winter outfit bought, hotels booked and paid for, bus back from finish booked, mates from UK & Aus in Flanders already checking the course. Flight was supposed to be tomorrow and back after Roubaix.

 

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrgggghhhhhhhhhhhh! Tough decision to make. Thank god for good travel insurance. It's back on the bucket list then.

 

Yoh.

A buddy of mine is rolling the 130 kms.

Don't let it fade.

[The Crazy German]

But a fanatical core of supporters for this climb couldn’t let it go. So through the 1990’s they repaired those devilish cobbles, one by one, and the road was widened and many of the worst ruts filled in.

 

“And so, finally, in 2002, the Koppenberg made its return, not without a little trepidation on the part of the riders and the organisers.”

 

But by 2006 the cobbles had deteriorated again, to the point that local star Phillipe Gilbert failed to get to the top in a pre-race recce, and on race day that year on 2 riders in the breakaway and 7 from the main peloton made it to the top on their bikes. So it was cut once again for 2007.

 

The reason why it's so difficult is that the cobbles are all over the place with often wide muddy gaps in between and the middle section of the climb reaches 22% gradient. It's difficult to get up on a mountain bike.

 

A bit exagerated those claims I have ridden it several times on road cyclocross or mountain bike without any issues. It only gets hairy if you get idiots in front of you the pile ups come from riders pushing each other or panicking, the hill itself is quite rideable.

['Dale]

 

 

A bit exagerated those claims I have ridden it several times on road cyclocross or mountain bike without any issues. It only gets hairy if you get idiots in front of you the pile ups come from riders pushing each other or panicking, the hill itself is quite rideable.

 

I reckon PRO racing conditions is a challenge of another kind.

As well as using a normal road bike.

[The Crazy German]

I reckon PRO racing conditions is a challenge of another kind.

As well as using a normal road bike.

 

My road bike looked quite normal at the top well make that road bikes as I have done it on a couple of different ones. We even used to do the muur and Kapelmuur big blad just for a laugh;

 

The Koppenberg is only likely unridable when really wet and muddy and don't worry they will clean it for race day.

 

What makes riders walk is the bunches you need one idiot holding up the pack to make 30 walk most of these would have easyly made it. Though most years you have some spaniard or so who has never ridden the damn thing getting exited turning near the front and misjudging his gear or blowing and going sideways. The issue is to many people or digging to deep before it have a nice stretched bunch in some groups and no issues. Put it too early in the race and some guys still hibernating in the big bunch and hoopla carnage.

['Dale]

 

 

My road bike looked quite normal at the top well make that road bikes as I have done it on a couple of different ones. We even used to do the muur and Kapelmuur big blad just for a laugh;

 

The Koppenberg is only likely unridable when really wet and muddy and don't worry they will clean it for race day.

 

What makes riders walk is the bunches you need one idiot holding up the pack to make 30 walk most of these would have easyly made it. Though most years you have some spaniard or so who has never ridden the damn thing getting exited turning near the front and misjudging his gear or blowing and going sideways. The issue is to many people or digging to deep before it have a nice stretched bunch in some groups and no issues. Put it too early in the race and some guys still hibernating in the big bunch and hoopla carnage.

 

Okay.

Yeah, momentum is key.

 

Wet on Sunday forecasted - let's see.

 

['Dale]

With his mind on the Tour of Flanders on Sunday, it was no surprise when Sagan sat up and dropped back when the peloton rode over the Kemmelberg. He rolled across the finish line at the end of the first lap in de Panne more than nine minutes back and climbed off his bike.

 

Yesterday's fine attack which splintered the bunch:

 

[The Crazy German]

With his mind on the Tour of Flanders on Sunday, it was no surprise when Sagan sat up and dropped back when the peloton rode over the Kemmelberg. He rolled across the finish line at the end of the first lap in de Panne more than nine minutes back and climbed off his bike.

 

Yesterday's fine attack which splintered the bunch:

 

 

 

Quite opposite to Quick steps Niki Terpstra who now with Boonen mentally and phisically hurt looked like their main man. terpstra even went for a full on attack in the last K's and seems set to go flat out in tommorows time trial as well. To see which of those tactics turns out the best.

['Dale]

Sagan looking lean 'n mean as he signs in as leader at Panne'. He withdrew on S2 to refocus on Sunday's Tour Of Flanders.

 

[Jakkals.]

Quite opposite to Quick steps Niki Terpstra who now with Boonen mentally and phisically hurt looked like their main man. terpstra even went for a full on attack in the last K's and seems set to go flat out in tommorows time trial as well. To see which of those tactics turns out the best.

 

Sagan dropped out to go do a recon of flanders. I think niki know what it looks like.

 

Sagan will still get some good solid hard training in. Niki will just do what he does best, TT.

[jcza]

Maciej Bodnar (Cannondale) wins Stage 3B of the Three Days of De Panne. Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (OPQS) wins the race overall

[jcza]

Ronde Van Vlaaderen

['Dale]

Maciej Bodnar (Cannondale) wins Stage 3B of the Three Days of De Panne. Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (OPQS) wins the race overall

 

Whoohoo!!!

[T-Bob]

Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (OPQS) wins the race overall

 

The flemish prince in waiting comes through at a good time.

 

http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/04/news/belgiums-new-tom-boonen-hoping-flanders-roubaix-call_322510

[leaboy]

Will SuperSport be televising the Tour of Flanders?